Combination grand piano.



P. WELIN.

COMBINATION GRAND PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED APR. e. 1908. RENEWED NOV. 13, 1914 1,1 33,348, Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

l4 A p M 1.111% W/ 7 III H1: NORRIS PETERS co PHOTO LITHO. WASHINGTON D UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER WELIN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO LAWRENCE MAXWELL, OE CINCINNATI, OHIO COMBINATION GRAND PIANO.

Application filed April 6, 1908, Serial No- 425,560-

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PETER WELIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVor: cester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Combination Grand Piano, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic or combination musical instruments, particularly to those known as the grand piano. In pianos of this type, as generally constructed for automatic playing, the motor, music rolls and tracker are ordinarily arranged below the key bed. This construction renders it inconvenient for the operator to watch the moving music sheet when seated in the ordinary position and gives an unsightly appearance to the instrument.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide simple and convenient means above the key bed whereby the tracker and music rolls and also preferably the motor may be supported in a convenient position so that, without adding to the connections between the motor and music rolls which are used in other types of pianos, the music sheet may be seen from the front in practically the position in which the ordinary music sheets are placed when playing the instrument manually; also to pro vide neat and efficient means for supporting the ordinary music sheets so constructed that it may readily be moved so that it will not interfere with the viewing of the music sheet when played automatically.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing which illustrates in transverse section a' grand piano showing one way in which the invention may be carried out.

The piano is shown as comprising a case 10 having an under frame 11, side boards 12 and a front made up of several pieces. In the present instance an ordinary doublefolding cover 13 is shown cooperating with a pivoted fall board 14 for hiding and assisting in operating the expression manipulatory devices 15 the fall board being constructed in accordance with my Patent No. 825,7 84 granted the 10th day of July, 1906. Above the double folding cover 13 is shown a plate 16 extending along the front of the instrument and having an upper rearwardly inclined ribbed portion 17 for engaging and holding the lower edges of the ordinary printed music sheets. This of course is located above the key bed 18 and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Renewed November 13, 1914. Serial No. 872,040.

at the front of the instrument. Above the same near the center of the instrument is an opening which ordinarily is closed by a glass door or slide 19. In front of this slide are a pair of slightly inclined rests 20 at the two sides of the space, and above them is a horizontal plate 21, fixed in position on the casing. Hinged to the front of the plate 21 is a closure or door 22 which is adapted to rest back in the position shown in full lines or to be closed down over the glass door as shown in dotted lines. At the rear also of the plate 21 is a hinged member 23 shown as of V-shape in cross section and adapted to extend backwardly in the full line position to assist in supporting the door 22 or to be turned up in the dotted line position to form with the front face of the door 22 a continuous inclined surface against which the music sheets are supported with their lower ends held between the ridges 17. This provides for supporting the music sheets when the instrument is played manually so as to give the appearance of the ordinary grand manual instrument, the opening in the front being entirely concealed by the door 22.

The ordinary hinged lid or cover 24 which is usually opened when playing the instrument is adapted to be closed when desired, as will be understood.

For the purpose of adapting the instrument for automatic or manual playing, a framing is provided which preferably consists of two curved members 26 and 27, each one fixed to a stationary part of the casing and extending part way around one of the music rolls 28. These two parts of the framing extend in between the music rolls and past their centers so as to support the tracker 29 at a convenient point back of the opening which has been described." On this framing also is supported the motor 30 which may be connected up with the instrument and with the music rolls in any desired way, as for example through a crank disk 31 and gears 32.

When the instrument is to be played manually, the hinged members 22 and 23 will be located in the position shown in dotted lines and the fall board M in the position shown in full lines. When played automatically, the positions of these parts are of course reversed. When the instrument is to be closed, the above mentioned parts are left in the positions indicated above for manual playing and the double folding front cover 13 is let down in the position shown in full lines. In this position of the parts it will be seen that there is nothing to indicate from the outside that the instrument has automatic playing attachments. To remove or change a music roll, the glass door or slide 19 may be moved horizontally, thus leaving a clear space for this purpose.

lVhile I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment .of the invention, I am :aware that many modifications may be made therein by any person skilledin the art without departing from the scope of the inventionas'expressed in the claims. Therefore, Ido not 'wishto be limited to the exact form shown, but

What I do claim is 1. A combination :grand piano having a tracker, music rolls,-a framingloca-ted above the-key-becl back of the upper front portion of thepiano case for supportingthe tracker and music rolls, a closure in front of the tracker andmusic-rolls to'conceal them, a ribbed ledge in frontand'near the bottom of said closure 'for -supportin'g music sheets against the closure, and a hinged member above thewv closure :having a surface forming substantially a continuation thereof.

'2. Acombinationzsgrand piano having a tracker, music rolls,' aframing located above the keyebed back of the upper front portion ofthe piano-casefor supporting the tracker andmusic -rolls, a plate located above said frame, a closure hinged to said'plate and adapted to swing down in front of the frame to conceal it,- and a: V-shaped member hinged to said uplatevan'd adapted to swing into position above 'it and having asurface substantially in the same plane with the front of said closure when said '-\/'-shaped member is swung forward.

3. A combination grand piano'having a tracker, music rollsya framing located above the key-bedsback of the upper front portion of the pianocase forsupporting the tracker and music rolls,- a closure in front of the tracker and-music rolls' to conceal them, a ribbed le'dge' infront and near the bottom of said closure-for supporting musicsheets against the closure, and a hinged-member above the closure :having asurface forming substantially .a continuation thereof, said hinged member 'constitutingwa support for the closure when both are-swungback.

4. In a grand piano. the combination with the casing andikey-bed, of a framing located directly and entirely above the key-bed, a motor and tracker-supported by said framing, a-door in frontxofthe tracker, 'a fixed plate above the door and tracker, a closure hinged at the top to the front of said plate and adapted toconceal the door'and having a'knob on the front thereof, a V-shaped member hinged at the rear ofsaid horizonas the casingand key-bed, ofaframing located directly and entirely .above the key-bed, a motor and tracker supported by said framing, a door in front of thetracken affixe'd plateabove' the door and tracker, a closure hinged'at -the-top to the front of-said plate and. adapte'dto conceal the door, a V shaped member hinged at the rear of-saidhorizontal plate and extending"horizontally back therefrom when in one position anda dapted tobe-swung forward-on its hinge'so thatone leg will rest on said horizontalplate and: the other willproject upwardly there-from on'a-n incline in continuous alinement with the front of said closure when the latter is down to afford a. planesupport' for. the music.

6. A combination grand piano having. a tracker, music rolls, a framing locatedeabove the "key-bed back of the upper front portion ofthe piano'case for supportingatheatracker and music rolls, and a hinged member adapted to swing down fromabove in front of the tracker and music rolls to conceal them and a ribbed ledge in frontuofssai'd opening near the bottom ofsai'd:hinged member for; supporting music sheets against theihinged :member.

7. A combination .grand piano having a tracker, music rolls,-a framing'located above the key-bed back ofthe upper front portion of'thepiano case for supporting the tracker and music rolls, a plate located above said frame, closure :hinged to said plate and adapted'to swing down in front of the frame to conceal it, and a second member hinged to said plateand adapted to swing intoposition above it.

8. Ina grand piano, the combination with the casing and key-bed, of;a means located in=the casing above the-key-bed for-supporting a tracker. and music rolls, a plate above said means' an'd a V-shaped member pivoted to said plate, and adapted to rest thereon and extend upwardly from the front thereof.

"In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in .the presence .of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER WELIN. Witnesses:

'BEULAH NEELY,

EDWIN B. PFAU.

topics of .thispatent maybe'obta-ined forrfive cents each, by afidressinguthe Commissioner ofEatenta,

' Washington, D. G. 

